Last week, I posted a critique of the argument of Cal Beisner and Fowler White concerning the connection between the covenant of redemption and the covenant of works. Beisner and White replied, and I post their reply here with their permission. We offer our sincere thanks to Dr. Leithart for his . . . . Continue Reading »
A Transvaal hymn celebrates Jesus’ victory: Jesus Christ is Conqueror By his resurrection he overcame death itself By his resurrection he overcame all things He overcame magic He overcame amulets and charms He overcame the darkness of demon possession He overcame dread When we are with him We . . . . Continue Reading »
Jenkins comments a number of times on the prominence of Old Testament Wisdom literature and James in Southern Christianity. He notes that these books have been particularly important as inter-religious texts. The Galai Lama “provided an admiring introduction” for the letter of James, . . . . Continue Reading »
A Zulu song includes the line, “Aka na mandla uSathane/ S’omshaya nge vhesi.” Philip Jenkins translates: “Satan has no power/ we wil clobber him with a [biblical] verse.” . . . . Continue Reading »
A number of writers have drawn up exposes of the “theocratic” agenda of evangelical Republicans over the past two years, and many find the darkly Armenian figure of RJ Rushdoony lurking behind every legislative proposal and protest march. They don’t know the half of it. By Philip . . . . Continue Reading »
The following is taken from an essay by Michael Wheeler in Jane Austen in Context (Cambridge). He points out that growing up in a clergyman’s house, and with two clergyman as brothers, Austen’s life was intertwined with the church and Anglican faith. The “moderate . . . . Continue Reading »
All theology is theology proper. Michael Horton says that human beings are created “wired” for the law: “It belongs to us by nature in creation, while the gospel is an announcement of good news in the event of transgression. It has to be preached, whereas the law belongs to the . . . . Continue Reading »
There are three evening prayers of Austen herself extant. According to Michael Wheeler, they are written in a standard form: “a plea for grace, a petition for mercy on the day’s sins, thanksgivings for blessings, a petition for protection this night and a petition for a heightened . . . . Continue Reading »
Metaphysics is making a comeback, but Merold Westphal ( Modern Theology , April 2007) thinks that the project of overcoming metaphysics is still worth the trouble. His article examines Kant, Heidegger, Marion, and Milbank. Along the way he says the following about Kant: On Westphal’s reading, . . . . Continue Reading »
Anything by Ross Douthat is worth reading. In the current issue of First Things , he examines the role of religion in several TV programs - Battlestar Gallactic a, Lost , and The Sopranos . He notes that the island in Lost is a “microcosm of Western modernity (many of the characters, not . . . . Continue Reading »